Tonight I have the privilege of teaching at the Intercessory Prayer Conference. Such a blessing to have an opportunity to share about the keys to a radical life of faith. Prayer is communication with God. Many think it is some formula for only an immaculate few. However, prayer is the key to an abundant, fulfilling life. The only way to know how this life works is to go back to the Manufacturer. When we consult God in prayer, we give acknowledgement to His divine intention for our lives. There is no greater joy for me in knowing that though I don’t have all the answers, there is a manual (The Bible) and a guide (Holy Spirit) to help me through everything that pertains to life. Prayer therefore is not a burden but a BLESSING. It is God’s way of helping us to stay connected to His plan. He made us and we have to seek Him for guidance. Our lives will be full of fruit as we stay connected to the Vine. Join me tonight in New Orleans or online at the Prayer Conference. Your life is worth it.

Family is built on unconditional love. No matter what, the people in this picture will always be loved by me. We’ve walked through good and bad times, highs and lows, sickness and health, abundance and need. However, none of these things stopped the love. That love kept on flowing and grew even more committed. Praying today that God will restore the “No Matter What” attitude in each family. Make up your mind that you will not let the mundane, temporal things separate you and your family. Be the peacemaker. Be the one who stands in prayer. Trust me, God can speak to your love ones even when you can’t find the words or even when they won’t accept your words. You pray and watch Him Be the difference maker in your family. Watch Him heal hearts and break every stubborn chain. Watch Him help you grow stronger in faith as a unit. Our family is our team if we are willing to let God be the Coach. Let Holy Spirit lead the way. Be the one who goes the extra mile even when others seem distant. Do it as an act of obeying God. Whoever operates in love, operates in God’s will. Love doesn’t give up. For God is love!

A word from Tanya Murphy after she experienced a near fatal car accident

I’m realizing that grateful is not a strong enough word to describe how I feel towards my God. I had my husband take me to the accident site and it was so clean it was like it never happened. The Lord says “the trauma you’ve experienced was for your growth, to make you dig in, not your destruction. When you look forward to the things I’m bringing you into, the wisdom from what you learned in the trauma will be there but you’ll never look like what you went through! People will see you and have no idea you ever went through the trauma! “

To the ladies, you may have gone through some things that tried to break you, tried to discourage you, tried to kill you even…..but the Lord says, no matter what you’ve gone through, it won’t slow you down, it won’t break you, it won’t cancel your God given assignment. As a matter of fact, it’s a stepping stone into your destiny! You’ll never look like what you’ve been through! Fight, push, run into what God has for you…….the trauma didn’t kill you…..it revealed you!!! Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah!!!!

As I approached the other gentlemen to the left of her, she sat still as if she was trying to figure me out. I invited the men to our annual Community Thanksgiving Dinner. That day, our team was hitting the streets letting neighbors know about the delicious hot food that would be available on Thanksgiving Day. One of them said they were already aware because the church does this every year. We all talked a bit as I stepped over to the woman with the veiled face and head. She was wearing a hijab. I had not seen her in the neighborhood before, so I personally invited her to come to the dinner. Her next step blessed my heart. She asked…”Do you take donations?” I answered with a shocking, “Yes. We do!” She asked me to give her moment to go and get them from here storage unit. I told her I needed to go to the pharmacy but would come back for the donation.

When I got back to my new friend, she had removed the veil from her face. With a big beautiful smile and a pep in her step, she approached my car. I got out and watched as she meticulously showed me the expirations on each box of stove top, etc. She had received a holiday basket from an organization but didn’t have anywhere to cook the food. My friend was homeless. In fact, she admitted that she had been sleeping in the storage unit. I was so moved by her passion to give. She even gave us a bowl for mixing and a plastic container to store food.

My eyes welled as I thought about how she was giving in spite of her own need. In fact, she said she wasn’t sure if she could come but wanted to do something. I assured her that her gift was so appreciated. This week, she has not left my mind for long. Just thinking about how many of us take for granted all the overflow God has given us. This woman willingly gave what she had. She didn’t have money. She didn’t have a stove to donate a hot meal. BUT… She had a heart. Giving is a heart matter not a money matter. In this season, ask God to open your heart to others. We all have something to give. Use what you have. Your gift may very well be an answered prayer for someone else.

Tara Alexander is committed to empowering lives and building community. She believes that the talents we have must serve for a greater purpose and intends to use her life helping people embrace that truth. For more articles and info go to www.taraalexander.com or www.withGODweWin.com For inspiring music by Tara Alexander go to iTunes and/or Amazon.

After 23 years of marriage, I can tell you that marriage is a beautiful and powerful tool in the hands of a Divine Potter. Through life’s experiences the two becoming one is a place where we grow, glean and benefit from one another. It is also a place where our deepest held beliefs are challenged and our imperfections become obvious. It is the place where our impurities often surface and the place where our inner traits are uncovered. Simultaneously, marriage is the place where our beauty is marveled, our talents are cheered, our tears are wiped and our head can rest well. Marriage done God’s way, reforms our hearts, our ways and our thoughts into what God desires them to be. My prayer for my marriage and all other married couples today is that the Master Potter would continue to shape us into people that look more and more like Jesus and less like the selfish little kids we used to be. (Take time today to read Jeremiah 18:1-6)

Here’s are some keys to a Reformed Marriage:

(1) Ask and allow God to show you areas that need reshaping.

(2) Remember you marriage is a reflection of Jesus’ love for the church. Get a biblical understanding of what marriage was intended to be.

In today’s society, you have to make a clear and consistent effort to stay on course. Everywhere we go, there are billboards, advertisements and things that will try to make you come its way or buy into it. 24 hours a day, there is someone wanting your attention and your money. Our job is to identify distractions and stay focused on what we are supposed to be doing. We need focus in order to enjoy this life and to live it to the full. Your rest days even need focus. You need to be present in the moment so that you don’t lose the moment.

I was reading a study about phone cameras. I was amazed to find out (I didn’t notice it before) that many times people can’t truly enjoy the moment because they’re taking a picture of the moment. Just think about it… you can’t scream at the graduation because you’re the one with the camera. You can’t sing along at the concert because you’re trying to record it. You can’t enjoy the dinner for two because you’re too busy taking pictures of it. I must admit I am so guilty. Although there are times that we can savor things by taking a picture. There must be times that we forget about the phone, ignore the text and let things wait until later. Unplug from outside forces so you can plug into your family, your business, your life, your dream!

Distractions are like weeds. When you find weeds in your garden, you must pluck them out. When you find weeds in your life, you must do the same thing. You have to find ways to get yourself back on track to success. You have to say no to what is getting you off course.

If you want to Overcome Distractions & Stay Focused, here are a few things to remember:

(1) Pray Daily

When we take time to talk to the manufacturer, He will show us how to function properly. Who knows us better than the one who made us?

(2) Plan Your Work & Work Your Plan

Give yourself a schedule and stick to it because other than that, you’ll be yanked around all day.

(3) Everybody’s emergency is not yours

There are real needs in the world but don’t get caught up with thinking that you are the fixer of all things. Your friends can wait sometimes. Though we care and act to help others, you don’t need to drop everything every time. (This is hard for me too.) Pray and ask God how to best help in the situation. He’ll show you when to run in and when to wait.

(4) Don’t scroll your day away

Schedule a time for social sites rather than check it all day. If you like it, include it in your schedule but don’t keep checking all day. Just schedule a time for it. The extra time you save may help you get that chore done, write a new song, finish a chapter, etc..

(5) De-clutter Your Life

Determine to get organized. Find some help if necessary. There are people anointed to help in this area. There are people that can help you get your office, your home, your finances together. Find them and take their advice. When you know where things are, you can get more accomplished. (Ouch!)

(6) Be Honest with Yourself

If you know there’s more you can be doing with your day, more you can be doing with your life, face the truth and change directions. You have to be willing to be honest with yourself. This also a part of the spiritual healing process. Ask God for the grace to get things done. When you use your natural ability and ask God for His supernatural strength, He can empower you to do anything. He’ll give you the grace for the race!

(7) Keep Looking at the Vision

If the bible says that without a vision, people perish… I believe it is also indicating to us that with a vision, people live. When you have a vision, it brings life to your day. When you are working on something and it is before you all the time, you can get it done. Keep the dream, vision board, sales target, etc. in front of you. Hang it up where you can see it. Talk about it. Pray over it. Prophesy to it. Work on It! Keep the vision before you and you won’t have time to get off course. You’ll be constantly reminded that there is so much work to do. You’ll be reminded that there are people (including your family, your customers, your community) who absolutely need you to stay on track.

Tara Alexander is committed to empowering lives and building community. She believes that the talents we have must serve for a greater purpose and intends to use her life helping people embrace that truth. For more articles and info go to www.taraalexander.com or www.withGODweWin.com For inspiring music by Tara Alexander go to iTunes and/or Amazon.

Collaboration is a powerful tool in the hands of people who understand that their gifts and talents can be combined for a greater good. When we come together as Christians we are not losing a piece of ourselves but we are gaining more of Him! People sharpen us to become more like Jesus. Your strength combined with mine may be just what the community needs. Collaboration often precedes powerful work in any community. We can join forces to create a space where lives are changed, communities are healed, people are helped and God’s purposes are truly fulfilled.

SELF CHECK-UP

Here are things to ask yourself as you contemplate collaboration:

What specifically are we aiming to do?

Does the collaboration/project/idea reflect my spiritual beliefs?

Am I the person that God called to lead this venture or am I the person who will support it being done?

What gifts do I have that can support the project/idea?

What gifts am I “willing” to share?

What am I “not willing” to share? Why?

How much time can I invest in this collaboration?

What am I expecting as a return on my investment of time?

Do I want to be paid for my skills? If so, how much, why & when?

Am I willing to pray continually for the success of this collaboration?

Are my motives to see its success even without me involved?

Can I serve even if I am not chosen to lead?

Do I have the maturity to stay as we work out the kinks of working together?

Do I have the interpersonal skills to work as a team member?

Do I need training in order to work more effectively with others?

Who will take responsibility for this work if it is not what we expected?

Tara Alexander is committed to empowering lives through community outreach, teambuilding, entrepreneurship and the arts. She believes that the talents we have must serve for a greater purpose and intends to use her life helping people embrace that truth. For more articles and information about Tara Alexander go to http://www.taraalexander.com or http://www.withGODweWin.com